Just the Way You Are
by TheWinterMe
Summary: TMNT 2k12 'verse. Karai merely notices her flaws, but Leonardo only sees the beauty and perfection she has. Warning: major fluff. Inspired by a song of Bruno Mars. Leorai.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I own nothing_

* * *

**Just the Way You Are**

"You're amazing." She snorted out a laugh, as if he just told a joke, when the words left his mouth. They were now in their mid-twenties, living on their own in a far off place in her native land.

"You're crazy, Leo." It was summer in the open field, filled with exotic blossoms that surrounded them. The wind softly blew its petals causing them to float about in the air.

"I'm not. You really are amazing, Karai. Just the way you are." She rolled her eyes at his persistence.

"Leo, stop." She playfully pushed him, causing him to lean back on his elbows, resting on the grassy ground. The former _kunoichi_ stood up, walking away from him as she glanced back with a smirk on her fair tinted face. Leonardo only gazed at her as she began to twirl around, wearing a white sundress that slightly passed her knees. Her dark hair grew only to reach her shoulders, its layers danced around as the wind blew harder. Her bright red lips captured his attention when she smiled, showing off her pearly white teeth and fangs. Her bright jade colored eyes and constricted pupils brightly shone from the sun that cascaded from the cerulean sky. Leonardo sighed out contently, taking in her beauty. She could no longer change into a serpent, but that did not matter to him at all. He loved her the way she was; half human, half mutant.

"When I see your face, there's nothing that I would change." She stopped and stood still when she heard him, trying to form the meaning behind to what he had just said. Karai slowly turned to stroll towards him and sat down, on her knees, looking straight into his small and soft blue eyes.

"You really mean that?" Her soft whisper could still be made out even through the blowing wind.

"I do." His gentle smile caused her to blush, making her look away as he reached out to tuck some strands of hair behind her ear. "Do you believe me?" She glanced back at him, but quickly looked down to find interest on the prickly green grass.

"I just don't see…what you see." He felt upset when she did not believe him when he told her about the perfection she was greatly gifted in. Leonardo wanted her to see what he saw; every day when he woke up, when he watched her sleep peacefully at night, and everything in between.

"What do you see then?" His right hand moved to rest behind her bare upper back, his fingertips playing with the straps of her dress.

"I see…a mutant freak…that will never be accepted in society." She glanced up. "I'm trapped." His eyes darted across her own gaze, trying to figure out what would make her change her mind.

"We are trapped, but we have each other. You know that." She sighed out as she caressed his shoulder.

"I know, maybe that's why I married you." It was her turn to smile and him to blush.

"I don't think that's the only reason you married me." She giggled as her hand reached up to caress his mask-less face, lightly pinching his cheek with her thumb and forefinger.

"I think it is." He sat up only to gently grab her by the shoulders to kindly push her back to fall on the soft ground. He rested on top of her, minding his weight, and stared at her before leaning in to kiss the bridge of her nose.

"You sure?" His own snout grazed her cheek as his hand planted on the grassy ground next to her head while the other cradled the back of her neck. Her palms situated against his plastron as her legs were trapped between his knees. The hem of her white dress slid up to reveal her thighs, but he did not seem to notice, he was only entranced by her facial beauty at the moment.

As he was busy running his nose on her smooth skin, he was not aware that her right hand was trailing up his shoulder until it reached his neck. She moved to the side and tickled his ear with her serpent-like tongue, causing him to flinch and blush. The flustered turtle leaned back and took notice of the position they were in; after being married for five years, they still acted as if they were two innocent first time lovers.

"What are you staring at?" He shook his head and smiled when he heard her quiet voice.

"I'm looking at my beautiful wife." She would never admit it but whenever he said that, her heart would instantly melt. It made her want to cry, but always refused to let the tears fall. She only let out a soft laugh as she rolled her eyes.

"You're not too bad yourself, husband of mine." His large three-fingered hand softly caressed her shoulder until it reached the thin strap of her dress. He slipped it off only to place a kiss on the slightly roughed skin, gently nipping the flesh until he heard her gentle moan. He lifted and saw her eyes closed, embracing their intimacy underneath the warm sun.

Karai opened her eyes when she missed his touches only to gaze at his own face that contained gentle features. He was not wearing his _ninjitsu_ armor, nor had his weapons anywhere near him. She spotted the platinum wedding band on his left hand that sparkled in the light, in which caused her to glance at her own finger that had a matching ring, and smiled. The silence made her aware of him once more and looked back at him. His azure stare never left her face. He loved her and she knew that. "Do I look okay?" He breathed out a low laugh prior to bringing himself closer to her.

"When I see your face, there's not a thing that I would change," he whispered before kissing the corner of her mouth. Leonardo gently captured her head between his hands before declaring in a soft voice, "and when you smile, the whole world stops and stares for a while." His thumbs caressed the smoothness of her cheeks as he continued to stare. "Because, Hamato Karai, you're amazing just the way you are." They both closed their eyes as he leaned close for their lips to finally meet.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Epilogue _**

"You okay in there?" He listened for a response behind the closed bathroom door.

"Yeah, I'm almost done." He chuckled.

"You said that twenty minutes ago." He heard her laugh across the room.

"Beauty takes time, Leonardo." He smiled at her playful reply and laid back against the pillows, placing his hands over his plastron, as he waited for her return, shutting his eyes while he embraced the moonlight that beamed from the open window, drifting off into his non-forgetting memories.

_"You alright in there?"_

_"Y-yeah, just a minute." He nervously laughed._

_"You said that like twenty minutes go."_

_"I know, I know. I just…give me another minute, jeez." He walked towards the bed and sat on the comfortable mattress, waiting until she would appear, twiddling his thumbs as he looked around the room. It was dark, only the cascading light from the full moon was seen. Their new bedroom was big, filled with Japanese artifacts and paintings, just the way they both wanted. Leonardo had told his Father and brothers that he and his wife would return to New York within a week. He blushed when he remembered how his brothers teased him before he took his leave to Nagoya earlier that day, or fifteen hours ago, give or take._

_"Once a leader always a leader, huh Leo?"_

_"Ya better treat her the best way ya can. Remember, she's a kunoichi."_

_"Have as much 'fun' as you want!"_

_Leonardo shook his head as he tried to forget about everything else besides her and their wedding night. He fell backwards onto the mattress with his arms spread out, feeling more nervous as the minutes pass. His heart raced faster, his palms grew sweatier as he felt his cheeks heat up. He was in full nervous mode, the more nervous he had ever been; facing past enemies was nothing compared to the night filled with first time intimacy. _

_He breathed out, trying to calm himself down, but was alerted when the door opened, letting out a florescent light into the naturally dim bedroom. He lifted his head as he took notice of her wearing a white silk kimono, hair tied up in a bun, and make-up less. He felt his heart stop as she began to walk towards him._

_"Sorry, you waited a while." He shook his head._

_"N-no. It's alright. You…you look beautiful." She sighed._

_"Leo, don't say things that you don't—"_

_"I mean it Karai, you're breathtaking." She lifted her jade colored gaze and softly smiled at him, showing off her sharp fangs._

_Leonardo sat up and walked towards her, closing the space between them. He stood in front of her, looking up and down at her form before placing his hands on her now wider hips grasping the silk material with his fingertips. His azure gaze stared back at her constricted pupils, leaving behind his fears and nervousness._

_They only heard their breathing as they continued to look at each other before averting their eyes away. Her hands were situated on his now broader shoulders, as her fingertips twiddled the tails of his blue mask. He still wore his ceremonial attire, blue and white ribbons wrapped around his wrists and biceps, flowing down his body. _

_"Leo?" He lifted his gaze._

_"Yes, Karai?" Her hand gripped his shoulder as she tried to speak through her unrelaxed demeanor._

_"Will you…will you…" He waited for her to finish for he did not want to rush her, especially on such a night. His right hand reached up to caress her smooth cheek, trying to soothe her nervousness. _

_"Karai, I promise." She stepped back from their embrace and took his hand away from her face prior to placing a peck on his cheek. He softly smiled and blinked as she pulled him forward, leading him to the bed._

"I think I got sunburned today." She frowned as she caressed her face, trying to let the moisturized cream sink into her skin. "I should've worn more sunblock." His eyes opened, with a tint of blush across his face.

"Yeah?" His eyes scanned her body, focusing on her revealing fair skin. Her black nightgown only reached the middle of her thighs as the thin straps showcased her slightly red shoulders.

"I'm not going outside for a week." She playfully glared at him. "It's your fault." He smiled as he shook his head.

"You're right, it's all my fault." She grinned while slowly strolling towards him, swaying her hips a bit more than usual, capturing his attention that way. He sat up on his elbows as an arm reached out for her to lie down next to him, and she did. His left arm cradled around her lithe body as she rested her head on his plastron, gently running her fingertips across his chest while snuggling closer to his warm body. He adored the moment they had, being next to each other with such silence.

_"Aishiteru." _

He peeked down at her, smiling when her eyes closed as she listened to his heart beat while he took the benefit of gazing at her flawless beauty. He softly smiled as he noticed the rough skin on her shoulders where her scales used to be, the soft scratches on her chest, and the punctured markings on her bottom lip where her fangs rested. Leonardo leaned closer to place a kiss on her forehead before whispering in a soft yet strong voice, "_Aishiteruyo_, Karai." He rested back onto the pillows as he closed his eyes, tightening their embrace. "Just the way you are."

* * *

_Another attempt of fluff, but somehow it didn't really came out that way. I like to imagine that Leo and Karai speak Japanese to each other. I find that cute and sexy. I also believe that Leo has more appreciation with the Japanese culture and that the brothers learned the Japanese language first and then English (by watching television and such-as I did!)._

_Oh, and how did Karai manage to bring a mutant turtle to a plane to go to Japan?_

_She has connections._


End file.
